The Florida State Seminoles: September 19, 2005
FSU honors Seminole Tribal Council The Tribal Council of the Seminole Tribe of Florida received academic and athletic honors from Florida State University during the council's first visit to the university the weekend of September 9-10. "This weekend allowed us to recognize the Seminole Tribe of Florida with two of our most significant awards, to honor the Tribal Council, and to return the hospitality they have shown us," said FSU President T.K. Wetherell. In June, Wetherell became the first FSU president to travel to Big Cypress Reservation and meet with the Tribal Council, which presented him with a resolution endorsing Florida State's use of Seminole symbols and images. The Tribal Council received the Mores Torch Award during a ceremony that preceded Wetherell's "State of the University" address. The Mores award recognizes an individual or group that exemplifies the traditions, cultures, customs and morality individuals experience from their association with this academic community. The award - presented for the first time to a group - recognizes the Seminole Tribe of Florida for providing the foundation of some of FSU's most cherished traditions and customs. That evening, at the Athletics Hall of Fame banquet held at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center, the tribe received the Moore-Stone Award in recognition of its outstanding contributions to FSU and the athletics department. During the Hall of Fame event, members of the tribe presented newly crafted tribal regalia for use in FSU's traditional home-game opening ceremonies. Using heritage textiles - some nearly 160 years old - from the Seminole Tribe's Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, Seminole Tribe members handcrafted the regalia. Leggings and moccasins were custom-tailored on the FSU campus to fit Josh Halley, this year's Osceola, and Kyle Doney, an FSU senior civil engineering major who is a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Halley donned his new garb for the Moore-Stone Award ceremony. Representing the Seminole Tribe of Florida in the opening-game ceremony at the FSU/Miami football game, Doney wore traditional garb from the museum's collection. In a departure from tradition, Halley rode onto the field on Renegade and passed the burning spear to Doney, who planted it at midfield. Wetherell said, "We are pleased to accept this special gift from the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and Seminole craftspeople to recognize our special partnership and to help preserve the precious Seminole heritage." Chief Mitchell Cypress and Fort Pierce Reservation Liaison Sally R. Tommie joined Wetherell to tape "Issues in Education," the president's current events television program. It will air on WFSU-TV on Monday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m., and also can be seen on Comcast's video-on-demand service in the Tallahassee area. Members of the Tribal Council attended the FSU/Citadel football game as Wetherell's guests Saturday evening and joined new members of FSU's Athletics Hall of Fame on the field during pre-game ceremonies. FSU's current Seminole Tribe of Florida students were invited to the Fall Faculty Meeting, Hall of Fame Banquet and President's Box for the football game. Another Seminole-crafted item has been created on the FSU campus in recent days: a chickee building at the FSU Reservation. According to the Web site of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the chickee style of architecture - palmetto thatch over a cypress log frame - began during the early 1800s, when Seminole Indians, pursued by U.S. troops, needed fast, disposable shelter while on the run. Four chickee builders spent four days creating the structure, which will be used by students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the FSU community. The shelter will serve as an educational tool, as well as protection from the elements. Andrew Bowers, Jr., Brighton Representative on the Tribal Council, was interviewed on the Seminole Radio Network during halftime of the football game. The Seminole Radio Network and its 47 affiliate stations, throughout Florida, southern Georgia and southern Alabama, feature complete, live coverage of FSU football games with the "Voice of the Seminoles," Gene Deckerhoff, and color analyst Peter Tom Willis. Throughout the football game, brief video vignettes covering Seminole Tribe of Florida history were shown on Doak Campbell Stadium's Seminole Vision board. A tribute video was also be screened. Members of the Seminole Tribal Council who attended weekend events:
FSU's student body currently includes seven members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida (four who began classes this semester) and one student from the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. |
